About Bonnie

I grew up on a small island in the Pacific Northwest. My early life included a lot of rambling, fishing, berry-picking, beachcombing, and other bucolic business. Most of my elementary and middle school education was home-schooling. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel widely, both with my father and with my amazing high school. Being from an incredibly small community, but seeing a vast spectrum of lifestyles, made a strong and lasting impression on me.

I moved to the mainland at 18 and hit the ground running, starting a self-taught career in graphic design. I worked on my design and art skills for about six years, then attended CSU Sacramento for B.A. in Anthropology. I have been a working anthropologist ever since (we do exist), with jobs in academia, for the local government, and in the private sector. Most of my work has been in archaeology, but I also have also done physical anthropology work for the County Coroner. People who are curious about studying or working in anthropology are welcome to contact me, because I certainly have a lot to say on the matter.

In 2012 I decided it was time for the next step forward, so I applied to graduate school to study current human communities, design and revitalization, and rebuilding after natural disasters. In August 2013 I will land at Cornell University's Department of Design and Environmental Analysis to do just that. Obviously I think a lot about design, use of space, and community planning. I like to think, and write, about what makes a place -- as small as house or as big as a country -- an attractive place to live. My partner and I are also "small living" enthusiasts, so you can expect to read about that from time to time

Fashion and style, while not words I associate with myself, are big interests of mine. I'm interested in all aspects of material culture, and dress is a big one; it's very intimate to choose what to wear. I also think a lot about my own wardrobe in an ongoing effort to keep it small and well-suited, so I never have one of those "nothing to wear" days.

My other passions are mainly movement-based. I minored in Dance at CSUS, as well as studying, performing, and briefly teaching tribal fusion bellydance. I love all styles of dance, but my own favorites are bellydance, modern, salsa, and tango. I also tend to ride my bicycle around like a lunatic and hit the yoga mat several times a week. My partner and I both love being outdoors, so we do a lot of hiking and camping.

I'm completely food-motivated. I love to eat and was fortunate enough to be raised on really good, whole, home-made food, so I have a tendency to eat the same. I'm not a health nut; I just like what tastes good and makes me feel good, and that certainly isn't fast food. I love to cook as an end-of-day meditation, and I consider myself pretty darned good at it. My partner is a butcher and also quite a decent cook, thanks to his Italian grandmother. Together we eat and have adventures looking for treats, most of which can be found at our shared blog Meatroaf. He hates to write and I'm super-busy, but we're working on it!